Software, safety and standards
Martin Davies · Physics World · 1990
Almost everything you buy contains software; cars have engine management system, washing machines have super-intelligent soapsuds detectors and even a common toaster can detect the state of the bread (fresh or frozen) and act accordingly. If the software in your washing machine goes wrong it is inconvenient. If an engine management system goes wrong, it could be fatal. Users, that is us, are very seldom aware of how the machinery we use is controlled or how well designed and tested it has been.